Blacken the Walls
by Lunadora.Black
Summary: Mudblood. Common blood. Dirty blood. There isn't a single wizard that isn't half-blood or less. The words may be true, but that doesn't stop some families from erasing memories, or even lives.
1. Demoted

She looked at the clock. Her breakfast would be cold and she knew it.

The radio played last night's football scores while her mother and sister were up and dressed, making breakfast. Lysandra slid into the wooden chair by the table and welcomed the now chilled plate of food before her.

"Mommy? When is summer over?" her sister crowed. She moved her plate back and forth, as if deciding whether to shove it off the table or take the food as it was. Cassie's black hair was slicked back into two pefect braids pressed against her head and her dress was ironed and spotless.

"In about two months,"Lysandra said over a mouth of fried eggs. "What's got you in a hurry?"

"I wanna see Laura agains. Her mommy said they'd be backs at the end of summer." Her voiced wavered and as she slouched in her chair, a stubborn pout plastered on her face. "And I didn't ask you, Sandy."

Lysandra rolled her eyes and glared back, as she took her plate to her room. If she could ever find a way to get her sister to stop calling her Sandy, she would give up almost anything.

Her bedroom window offered a cold ray of light on her bed, as she squished onto her desk chair and slipped into her comfortable silence. Wilmon Crescent was possibly one of the most bland places in Lesher, Surrey. When they first moved there, she walked into the wrong house several times, and who could blame her? The rows of houses were only different by the plastic numbers drilled on the front, and possibly the keep of the lawns. Her house was no different from the next, except the study was probably not the bedroom in the others. The desk had it's own niche in the wall, which even then, barely left room for her single bed in the corner with a bedside table. Her clothes were kept in a small linen closet outside in the hall, which only led to annoyance when her sister would peel and unfold all of her clothes from it, one by one.

The two real bedrooms in the house were her parents and Cassiopia's. Her parents offered sharing with Cassie, but she took the study instead. Living in the same house as Cassie led Lysandra near insane, let alone the same room. The only other benefit of the study was the door locked, and she liked to keep it that way.

Cassie's birthday had been three months earlier, but that did not help her jealousy. Anytime someone recieved a gift in the house Cassiopia would throw a fit that she was never given anything, or she was living in rags and deserved better. The attempts to rid Cassie of the habit were futile, though, and her parents had deemed her, "our little diva!" Lysandra's birthday's were always kept quiet for this reason, and her eleventh was no different.

Muffled footsteps carried down the carpeted hall and stopped by her door, then swiftly returned round the corner. Lysandra's feet were cold on the wood as she stepped to retrieve her annual secret midnight birthday presents. Her lock clicked open and she saw only two small, poorly wrapped parcels, sitting very alone in the hall. She peeked by her door frame in some crazy hope to see her parents with a large birthday cake made of banana creme and coconut with brightly lit candles and presents littering the floor, but didn't. She slid her eyes back down to the pathetic disappointment on the floor and picked them up anyways, for it was better to take them than let Cassiopia have them.

She turned to place the parcels on her desk and shut the door calmly, so she wouldn't awake the five-year old horror down the hall. She turned around and faced her birthday celebration. Lysandra hummed the Happy Birthday tune to herself as she moved the parcels onto her bed and , without poise, landed herself on her pillow and cracked her head into the wall behind.

She grimaced on impact, but stayed book still until she was sure Cassiopia didn't hear the thud. Returning her thoughts to the presents, she unwrapped the larger of the two and found a handwritten card ontop of a hard cover book. She felt the heaviness towards her parents lift, but felt resentment like a lead weight settle down.

"Jane Eyre," she gritted her teeth with displeasure. The book was normally found on the book shelf in the living area. She lifted her head back to the wall with tears in her eyes. For once, her parents could have put thought into her birthday, or given something that didn't already belong to the family. Why couldn't they put her first? She wanted to cry so bad, she wanted to scream at her parents for not caring about her. Why couldn't she? Because her parents favourite daughter was in the next room and she would be in trouble if she awoke her. Lysandra hiccough's filled the silence, her sobs barely audible.


	2. Questions, Comments and Concerns

When she opened her eyes, she saw that partial light was coming though her blinds. She picked herself up off the bed and held her clock up so she could see the time. The dawn was breaking from the house tops right infront of her, piercing its way through the lingering dark. The sparrows were chittering in the shrub that bordered her window and a heavily marked alley cat strode away from it's resting spot, the sidewalk directly infront of her bedroom. Looking down, she picked up the parcel that she had forgotten about hours before. She sat down on the edge of her bed and placed in on her lap, hoping it would not be a dissapointment. Her fingers nimbly undid the knot of string surounding it. The string fell away and the brown paper around it sagged. A sharp rap at her window made her heart race, her hands freezing over her present. She carefully replaced it on her bed as she approached her window.

A profile of a puffy bird blocked the sun from her eyes. It twitched and fluttered, obviously irritated and rapped on her window once more. It hopped off her window ledge to the ground a few inches below as she curiously released the latch and opened the window. Lysandra let out a small shriek when the tawny owl flapped it's way into her room, emmiting a high hoot. It landed of the back of her desk chair and dropped a previously unnoticed paper from it's beak before circling her room with strong hoots and flying feathers.

It dropped back onto her bed and waited expectantly, staring at Lysandra with deep eyes. She cautiously edged towards the bird, her heart and mind running a marathon. It hooted once more and fluffed it's ridged feathers. The brown hues of it's feathers stood out profoundly from her dark green blankets, creating a blotchy forest effect. Her mind settled and she spoke wearily.

"I don't have any food for you."Lysandra stroked the bird as it passively cooed. She stood and lifted the letter from the chair.

_Lysandra Phyllips_

_Last door in the basement hall_

_16 Wilmon Crescent_

_London, Britain_

The back side was sealed in wax, with a crest imprinted on it. She pressed her thumb to it, and to her astonishment, met warmth. The tawny owl hooted once and soared out her bedroom window. Only when her eyes adjusted to the light did she realize that the bespectacled alley cat was sitting only feet from her window. She blinked out of anadulted shock and swore she saw it wink at her before trotting off down the street.

She blindly sat on her bed, grasping the letter in her hands. Her head swamped with unanswered questions drew no thought at all. She sat there in silence and awe at the events that just happened, until the shrieking of Cassiopia in the room over shook her mind. She must have awoken from the owl, but Lysandra didn't bother to become annoyed. She brought the letter to her eyes and examined the wax carefully._ Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _was emblonized on the front of the letter as well. She hastily looked at the door before pushing her fore finger between the envelope flap and drew out the contents.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, _

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) _

_Dear Ms. Phyllips,_

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_ Term 1 begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_ Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress

* * *

_

Lysandra finally got away from her sister's horrid tea party in her room. Not only could she still hear Cassiopia's shrieks echoing in her head from her previous attemps, but the words echoing from the Hogwarts letter. She hadn't told her parents about it, and she didn't intend to. She hadn't a moment to herself that whole day to respond, and not until after lunch the next did she escape into solitude.

Lysandra pulled out a pad of lined paper and a ballpoint pen, and considered her responce. She took the letter out from her desk drawer and reread the words to herself. A quarter hour passed and she could not think one word that would sound right. She tucked the materials back into her desk, and excused herself for a walk.

Her steps sounded lost in the swirling world of people around her. She passed by countless buisness men and women striding around on their lunch breaks. She passed a couple sitting on a bench talking, and heard the familiar hum of motor vehicles and their exhaust piping throught the hot air. She walked on, trying to formulate a responce that wouldn't sound pathetic, but the constant idea was bewildering. Magic? Wizarding schools? The thoughts pulled her in every direction of fact and fiction. She was confused on whether she should believe it all or blame the insanity on lack of sleep.

Lysandra fell into step with a travelling crowd and found herself lost in a crowd of people, separating and merging into one another. Her feet grew tired and she left the main streets into a smaller shopping district. She knew she could find her way home but she did not want to stray too far. A draft from a shop door brought a newspaper sailing along the street, almost directly infront of Lysandra. Curious, she picked up the slightly damp papers and stretched out to look at the headlines.

_DISPUTES BETWEEN MINISTRY AND MUGGLE PRIMINISTER RESOLVED _

The picture beneath it was a shocking one. Two men tilted their hat's at each other in a lavishly decorated room, and shook hands. Though, the idea was certainly a normal one, the men in the picture moved through the sequences, tipping and shaking, then repeating. Lysandra stood jaw slightly agap at the moving image.

"You! Girl!" came a voice from not to far off. A man in an odd dress like robe was jogging towards her, his auburn hair flying out from a rather questionable looking hairy bowler. She stepped back from her pursuer but did not run. He stopped infront of her, doubled over and out of breath. He looked to be a young man, rather tall and slim, but his baggy clothes hid his entire body.

"Girl, please if you would?" He pointed to the paper in her hands that in her nervousness, was grasping quite hard. Another older man came walking hurriliy down the sidewalk, wearing the same sort of odd clothes as the one before her, but he sported a walking stick that seemed to spark on contact with the ground. He walked up to his companion and grimaced at Lysandra.

"If you would, miss," his voice scratchy and low. He was much shorter than his friend who was still panting for breath. Uncertain of what to do, Lysandra meekly held out the paper to him, prepared to run if he came after her.

The younger, taller one caught his breath and said quietly, "Have you got your letter? You seem about age."

His companion gave him a dirty look and caught him in the stomach with his cane."Don't you go askin' a muggle like that!" His clenched fist pulsing. "You want me to have to hand you and her over to der Ministry?" He spoke in a hushed voice, presumablely so Lysandra couldn't hear. When Lysandra spoke she was shocked by herself.

"You mean the Hogwarts letter? I...I got one." The two men stared at her like she was sprouting wings, but the older one suddenly snapped back. "Well, very well then. I hope you does well." He walked off back in the direction he came muttering seemingly profound words about his younger friend. The younger one recaptured his breath so she held out the newspaper with the moving images to him.

"Nah, you keep it. You'll find out soon enough. Good luck in September!" he said as he hurried to catch up with his companion.

* * *

The whole idea of the walk had good intentions, but when Lysandra returned home, she was more confused than ever. She slipped the paper into her jacket before she walked in her house and hurried down the stairs to her room and locked the door. She realized she was holding her breath as she finally unclenched her lungs.

Breathing in her bedroom air seemed to be the only familiar thing to her. Her bed seemed distant, like she hadn't felt its' blankets before. Gasping, she heard the Tawny owl give a curious hoot from her open window. It hadn't gone far since it delivered her letter and she figure it wasn't going to until she wrote her reply. Dropping the news paper on her bed, she fell into her desk chair and put her head down on her arms. Confusion swirled with all her thoughts. She wanted to just shut them out of her head and let herself think clearly.

The abnormity of her head instanly clearing bothered her, but Lysandra felt thankful. Thinking the same questions with no answers was erksome and horrid. Free of the burdens, she thought of her reply. 'I might as well go if I have a chance,' she thought.

The page was only a quarter full with only a handful of words on it, but the message was clear that Lysandra would indeed be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She wondered what school in the right mind would be named Hogwarts, but the thought occured that a lot that happened recently was not in the right mind. The owl gave an excited hoot at the sight of the finished letter and snatched it out of her hands.

"Erm...Hogwarts, I suppose, Minerva McGonagall?"She spoke like anyone would talking to an animal, unsure of their sanity. The owl, though, took flight immediately, sure of it's path. It flew up until the day light swallowed it. She turned and let out her breath heavily.

"If I'm a witch, then I might as well know what the world is like." Lysandra assumed it was a wizardry newspaper, for no paper she had ever seen moved like this one. The activity on the page never stopped, always returning and repeating the images that swamped her head.


	3. Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered

She read until the rapping at her door and her Cassiopia's whining disturbed her too much.

"What!" I'm reading!" Lysandra questioned furiously as she opened the door.

"Sup is ready, Sandy," her eyes quickly darted into her room, then spread up at Lysandra, innocent and cute.

"Fine, Cassiopia," Lysandra deliberately spoke Cassie's full name, putting much more emphasis on it than necessary.

Cassie sqirmed and stomped her foot."Don't call me that!"

"Don't call me Sandy."

Lysandra pushed herself inbetween the door and frame, so Cassiopia couldn't search her room more. Looking down at Cassiopia, Lysandra shut her door and smiled most unsincerely.

The articals and pictures flooded her mind. Wizards, creatures, and even a Minsitry for Magic. Why didn't the everyone know about this? Her thoughts stopped when she entered the kitchen, she did not want her parents to think on her lack of attention, or what her attention was cuaght on.

They were sitting at the table, her sister's seat empty. Her father's brown hair sloped to one side of his head, and his tie looked slightly messed. Her mother held a large smile on her face, looking towards her father; Lysandra did not want to know what happened.

Cassiopia came romping up the stairs, her braids bobbing in time with the stack of off-colour papers clentched in her hands.

"Mommy! Daddy! Sandy has papers, newsy papers dat move!" her smile was beaming with pride, that she had Lysandras' secrets.

Lysandra felt as if she were turning her head in slow motion. Her mind overflowing with unprocessed thoughts, was cleared and rode only on instinct. She leapt from her chair, tipping it onto the floor, and reached her sister. She grabed the papers from her sister's hands and dragged them from her grasp. She hated to see her sister fall to the floor, but she didn't linger on it. Her parents couldn't know about her secrets. Why? She didn't have time to figure that out. She bolted down the carpetted stairs, nearly falling to the bottom, but miraculously staying upright. The papers felt like they were pushing the air from her lungs, she clentched them to her chest with force. Her parents foot steps seemed slow to her, like everyone else laboured to do what she could do with ease.

Her door was only a couple strides from the stairs, and she slammed her weight into it to knock the latch open. It resisted and her force knocked her against the opposite wall. Her father's yells sounded worried and utterly bewildered at his older childs outburst. His feet were by the stair rails, by the position he was leaning over Cassiopia. Her mother looked down the stairs over the rail, and Lysandra's expression and mind screamed fear.

Lysandra panicked. Cassiopia must have locked the door on the way out of her room when taking the papers.'Open! Damnit open!' was her first thoughts and they screamed in her head.

The door burst open with a screech of it's hinges . Lysandra didn't think on the onomily and crawled into her room with the papers clutched in one hand. She threw herself inbetween her chair and bed, the door slamming and locking without a thought or touch.

* * *

Cassiopia's cries were horrid and screechy, though she hadn't been hurt bad at all. Lysandra's mother was pounding on her door adding to the rucus, calling Lysandra and telling her to come out. Lysandra though, could not hear anything for she was sobbing. She didn't even know why. But the tears just felt right on her face like she deserved the cry. She hated to see her family in pain, but she felt like she had gone through more than she could handle. Like she was just too different. Like a freak.

He mother's hammering stopped soon after, she assumed to tend to her sister. Her guilt still rung through her, but she could not help feeling perfidy towards her parents. They seemed to attend to Cassiopia more than they did to her, even when it was her that was hurt. Lysandra slipped of the bed and placed the newspaper onto her desk and smoothed the two men greeting eachother out. Checking in her desk for the letter, she felt relieved her sister had not found it. She took it out, as she often did, and read both the acceptance and school supply list letters, reading every word carefully. She wanted to go, but she had no idea how to get there or how to get the supplies, she had been through many neighbourhoods and never seen a shop that sold any of the items she needed.

Lysandra stayed in her room for as long as she could, but soon found herself restless, needing a bigger area to move. She quietly snuck up to her bedroom door and heard her mother and father's voices in their bedroom. She didn't dare open her door for Cassiopia might be waiting there. She crossed her room and propped open her window and pulled her body out onto the darkening lawn. the sun was setting just on the roof line and Lysandra stopped. She didn't want her parents to worry about what Cassiopia was screaming on at supper. She spread her legs and arms out, suddenly too tired to move. The stars appeared one by one in the sparkling sky, slowing spreading over the suburb, and over the young witch spread on her lawn.

* * *

Days passed and Lysandra loathed seeing her parents concerned and quiet looks. Her plans of escape had long run dry and she had no idea how she would ever find Hogwarts. Her only idea's involved telling her parents about all of the stange events in hope they would believe her and know what to do. Her pride, she knew, would die a painful death, but Lysandra was officially lost in her own mind. Problem formed in her mind over and over again, how would she tell them, and would they already know?

Her parents had not talked to her about the paper, and she hoped they would soon forget, but their erie quietness didn't reassure her. She could feel it coming, like animals sense the weather, when she was sitting in the living, reading the book she was 'given' for her birthday. Her mother finished doing the dishes from dinner, and she approached in the manner that all parents do when they want to talk, calm and innocent.

"Lysandra, I think we need to talk about..." Her mother's words were cut off by the door bells' dainty ring. A figure stood, rippled by the glass in the door. Her mother smiled at her and rose to answer the door.

What surprised her the most, was not the strange clothes about the woman, but the facial similarity to the cat that had winked at her, the night her owl delivered her letter. The July heat must have been terrible in her robes of Emerald green but she showed no sign of it on her polite, distinctly featured face. She bore a look of authority, her hands smartly clasped in each other.

"Good Evening Mrs. Phyllips." She spoke with an old voice, but curt and tuned sweetly. "I am Minerva McGonagall, and I believe I owe you a visit."


	4. Newsflash

"Why does Sandy get new toys and I doesn't?" Cassiopia complained. Her poor attitude was expected from all member of the household, for Lysandra was about to get more items than she ever dreamed.

"Because," her mother, Celeste, replied,"Lysandra needs new school supplies for her transfer to a new school." Her calm hand were steady while braiding her sister's hair.

"Well, I need news school suppliers too, you know. And whys does Sandy get to go to a new schools? I wants to go!" At this point, Cassiopia's face was messed up in a twisted pout and her hands were folded so tight to her body, it seems they more morph into one at any moment.

"I, Cassiopia, happen to be highly talented and can perform magic!" Lysandra put more emphasis on the last word than necessary, but succeeded in getting her sister reiled up.

"Mommy, I wanna go too. Make her let me, please, peas, please!" Cassiopia turned to her mother and used the eyes that only a pleading five year-old could use.

"Honey, you can't. Maybe you'll be a witch too. But we can't be sure until you are eleven."

"How longs till then?" She held up her fingers to her mother and Lysandra couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for her. The feelings quickly vanished, though, as she remembered this may be the only time in her life where her parents put her first.

"You have to take your shoes off to count that high!" Lysandra chuckled. Her mother shot her a warning glare, but she smiled. It was finally her turn to have the upper hand, and you bet she was going to abuse it.

* * *

In all her life, living directly outside London, she had never been to that part of it. It seemed that you could turn one corner and the world seemed dimmer and shadier, like every person who looked at you was there because they did not want to be seen by everyone else. Her parents both gave eachother questionable looks, but the note grasped in her father's hand seemed to calm them, only slightly..

During Professor McGonagall's visit, she assured them tha many Muggle will feel that way going into the wizardingwWorld. It seemed bizarre at first, the idea of wizards living under the nose hairs of every muggle on Earth, but it slowly dawned on both her parents that these things were indeed very real. The looks on her parents faces did not comfort Lysandra, as they entered what seemed to be a seedy bar.

The Leaky Cauldron was indeed a very uncomfortable place at first, but as you looked at the faces, warted or wrinkled, they were indeed just people. The barkeep nodded and smiled, his teeth a brownish-yellow shade. He pointed to the back, as if he knew exactly who they were and why they were 's father nodded and led them to the back door. Lysandra and her sister were rounded up into an extremely claustrophobic courtyard, he parents right behind them.. The scenario that faced her was not a comforting one, being face to face with only a brick wall, but her mother patted her on the shoulder, and her mind suddenly dived into bravery.

She placed her hand on a brick to the bottom left of a missing piece of the wall. At first she heard her sister gasp, but not until she had tapped four more, in a sequence, did her mind take in that she, indeed, was a witch.

* * *

The brick's shivered and folded back to reveal and archway boardering a most busy cobblestone street. People in many different clothes padded along, colours flashing and dancing through crowds. Stores lined the streets with the most unusual merchandise, bottles of newts eyes, and unidentifiable goo's. Children gawked in store windows, revealing many assortments of brightly coloured candies, and street vendor's called out their wares. Her mother's hand touched her back as she looked up to see smiles no longer hidden on their faces.

Cassiopia was dumbfounded that such a place could exist without her knowing and she stood there in shock. Her parents seemed to marvle at the new surroundings as well, but Lysandra just felt proud. The family stood there for a few moments before they were ushered out of the way by a wizard busily transporting cauldron's into a small store entrance, using his wand to levitate them in the air.

Lysandra's parents collected themselves first and slowly pushed their children along the buzzing street, never taking more than a few breaths before a new wonder appeared.

A great stone building loomed out from a bend in the cobbled path, it's marble exterior glinting through the patchy sunlight. Above the arched entrance, etched in the stone the words, Gringotts Bank.

"That'd be our first stop, " her father's eyes glinted in curiosity.

Though all the buildings in Diagon Alley looked deformed, lopsided or mishapen in one way or another, nothing ever seemed to be near falling. Lysandra's curiosity was bursting with questions.

The four of them climbed the white steps and entered a large bronze door with the most peculiar creatures on each side. They entered another similar room, with a silver door, she noticed more interesting things around. The creatures, again postioned by the door, were wrinkled and had large hooked noses with fingers that looked like they belonged on a starving man, lanky and bone thin. Claw-like fingernails protruded from them which made Lysandra's caution peak.

Another detail she noticed was engraving on the door, a poem of sorts, describing the fate of one who would try to steal the treasure that was not theirs. She pressed on passed the elf-like people and was not comforted by the sight that greeted her. Hundreds ofthem leaned over desks in a large, brightly lit hall, stamping and passing papers.

Her parents edged them forward but she could tell they were uncomfortable with the creatures as well.

"Excuse me, um, sir," her father interrupted one of the workers, who looked at them with a probing eye. Lysandra had never seen her father look so unsure of himself, his eyes looked passive and unfocused.

"Yes?" The thing looked down passed the edge of the counter and down to Lysandra and Cassiopia. Cassie sqeauked at the sight of it so close, and hid behind her mother.

"We wish to open an account for our daughter."

"Ah, I see. Well, it depends on how much you are willing to give and how high of security you require." The peering eyes of the creature seemed to lighten at their predicament, obviously amused by a family so unsure.

"Well, I'm not sure we have the correct currency to give you, " her father fumbled with his wallet and drew out approximately 80 pounds. It peered through it's spectacles and glaced back at some paper work.

"Slashgrime could assist you in conversions, and I can obtain you a vault." He brought up one boney finger and pointed to a smaller creature farther down the hall, closer to the back wall filled with many doors. Her father bowed akwardly and stumbled away from the thing, which Lysandra could not help but describe as a goblin.

The other goblin processed their money with much to the same attitude, amusement. The vault they were given was a relatively low-security vault, but her parents thought no need to get a high security one. They were led to the back of the hall, facing the multitude of doors and followed a stout goblin with Lysandra's key in hand.

Her father stayed back with Cassiopia, the carts were small and Cassie would not go near the goblin-like creatures. Lysandra and her mother took the tumbling ride down the tracks and rails, linking each vault to eachother and stopped infront of a small vault door, stalactites dripping water on their heads. The goblin required the key and fitted it into the lock in the door, setting off the clinks of the latches undoing. Her mother placed a small bag of bronze knuts, silver sickles a few golden galleons into the vault before it was sealed and they rode away, vault 286 vanishing through the tunnels.

* * *

When the family emerged onto the street, the sun burned their eyes and masses had accumulated. Her mother and father held tightly on Lysandra's hand, though Cassiopia was crying and fussing. They stopped by a store front to calm her down, but Cassiopia was set on making a scene, the goblins scaring her into disbelief. Finally settling, her father carried her back to the brick arch to take her home. A pity set in Lysandra's stomach, but her thoughts satyed on magic, and the thrilling, swirling place of Diagon Alley.


	5. Caged

"Sandy! Play with me pease!" Cassiopia stomped and whined like she had for the last month. Lysandra however was pouring through her school books and marveling at her wand, Teak, 16 1/4 inches, with "firm pliability" as Ollivander said it. The summer, to Lysandra seemed not long enough to figure everything out and learn all that she was given. Spells were throbing through her head, their words, their magic. Potions seemed to spell their ingredients on the walls, coming alive before her. Lysandra was aching to go to Hogwarts, but was worried that she may be behind, or not good enough a witch to attend. All these things seemed to collide in a non-stop jabber in her brain, competeing for interest and stealing her curiosity.

"I really don't want to, Cassie," Lysandra said passively, not bothering to look up from Bathilda Bagshots_: A History of Magic_.

"But you's never do. Pease!" She hoped Cassiopia wouldn't go into a fit, but the water in her eyes said Cassie was more than willing to make a scene.

"Fine! But not for too long, I need to go throughsome other things and pack." Cassie, however, was already in her room readying her stuffed toys and dolls, a smile firmly planted on her face.

Lysandra had actually been prepared to leave for the two weeks before, but her mind continued to change, what clothes to bring, how to arrange it, and how to get Thaya into her cage. The Tawny owl consistently refused to stay in her cage for more than a half hour before causing a rucus and attempting her escape. the man working at Magical Menagerie conveniently forgot to tell her that Thaya had a big temper problem before she bought her, but Lysandra would have bough Thaya, even if she knew.

"Just stay still for once, would you?" Lysandra reprimanded Cassie. Cassie had been hopping around the house all morning, even though it was Lysandra that would be leaving.

"Do you want the ruddy hat on or not?"

" I does but I'm just exciteded!" Cassie hopped from one foot to another before Lysandra jammed a small pointed hat on her sister's head, covering her eyes.

"Heys, Sandy!" Was what she heard before she went down her stairs to check her room for possibly the 17th time since she woke up.

Lysandra surveyed her room, all posters were taken down, her sheets stripped, her desk cleared. She went through all her drawers in the desk and checked the closet hall for any remaining articals. Even with almost all her clothes, books and school supplies packed, there was room in her trunk for extra items.

She closed her window and stepped over her trunk to sit on her bed. Thaya hooted from her perch on the desk chair.

"You are going in the cage and that's it. You can't get away with being a little snob during the year so you are going to stay in the cage. Got it?" Lysandra almost loathed her owl, but it gave her a challenge, or at least that's how she saw it. Thaya made a hooting noise and ruffled her feathers.

"Lysandra, we have to go in ten minutes. Bring up your trunk and Thaya. Cassie, come and get washed up."

Lysandra paid attention to the task at hand, for she knew her room was as clean as she could possibly get it.

"Ok Thaya, you can hunt all you want at Hogwarts but you have to get there first." Lysandra picked up Thaya and she lit on her arm, but when she picked up the cage, Thaya squawked and threw into flight, circling tight in Lysandra's small room.

"Damnit Thaya, just get in the cage please!" She swooped in to grab the owls legs, but tripped over her trunk and fell onto the floor. Thaya hooted excitedly and flew inside the cage, happy to raise mayham wherever she could.

Lysandra lay on the floor, her breath knocked out of her lungs. She twisted her arm so it wouldn't press against the bed as hard. It fell into the space under it and brushed something. Lysandra strained her arm as to grab it, but her fingers pushed it out of her reach. She flipped onto her stomach and looked back under her bed, the item hiding in the dark. She reached again and grabbed hold of some paper, attached to the object and pulled it out. She wondered hope she didn't see it while cleaning under there. The package was familiar and she fumbled with her memory until she remembered her birthday, the present she never opened.

The paper was dusty and it barely covered the package, a small wooden box, that seemed to be aged well beyond her parents lifetime. The bronzed metal corners were fastened tightly and the lock on the front clung firmly to the box as well. Lysandra flipped over the box and found a faded symbol or crest, an image engraved on the bottom. It was chipped and rubbed through, the outline barely visible, but an animal shape seemed to form in her mind, a stag or dog, maybe a ram. She flipped it back open and examined the lock. It loocked weathered and rusted. What struck her as different was the box had no key hole, just a clasp. She tried to pry it open but it didn't even move, as if held by weld. Thaya hooted in displeasure for no reward from cooperating and fidgeted in her cage.

"Don't even." Lysandra turned her head and glared at her owl.

Thaya hooted in rebelion but stayed in the metal cage.

Lysandra turned back to the package and shook it. Nothing sounded, but she could feel the weight shifting in the box. Her thoughts spun as they had before, what did her parents mean by giving her this as a present? Was she to open it and discover another mystical secret inside, or was the box itself the present?

"Lysandra we need to go now, bring your trunk up quick. Numair, help her bring it up, please." She heard her fathers agreement and quickly opened her trunk and threw the box inside. She closed it just as her father poked his head through her door.

"Owl giving you trouble?" He commented. The Tawny hooted pridefully. She clasped the trunk and shut the owls cage.

"More than a little," she said with a smile.

He stepped in a grabbed the owl cage by the handle. "I'll help you with that, I'll be right back."

Lysandra was tempted to reopen her trunk and examine the box longer but her father returned quickly. They moved the trunk to their car and climbed in, all member excited for a unusual departure.

The woman working the ticket booth seemed utterly bewildered at their request.

"You say platform 9 3/4? Are you kidding? You're the second person to ask today." She rolled her eyes and dismissed Numair from the counter. "Stop playing."

Her father shook his head and returned to his family standing on the other side of the walkway.

"She practically called me loony," He sighed. her parents turned to discuss other options when Lysandra saw it. Another ticket booth worker staring right at her, his eyes gleaming. She saw a pocket watch in his breast pocket and beside, a small crest, to small to see at the distance. Lysandra walked towards him, leaving her sister and parents. She stepped through the moving people and approached him.

She saw now he bore a small crest the same as the one in wax on her Hogwarts letter.

"One ticket to platform 9 3/4, please." He smiled down at Lysandra. "May I see your letter and a galleon, 11 sickles, 17 knuts."

She pulled the letter out of her jacket pocket and showed it to him, before he waved it away with a wink.

She could see his booth was stationed only a few feet apart from the others, but it seemed as if they couldn't see or hear him, like he wasn't there. She turned around and saw her father coming towards her, smiling that his daughter found her own way.

"Hello," he said to the ticket man. "How much?"

"1 galleon, 11 sickles, 17 knuts."

Her father counted out the currency and handed it to the man.

"Thank 'ous," he said will a slight french accent. the machine beside him sputtered and produced a ticket, which was passed to Lysandra's father.

They nodded their head and went back to Lysandra's mother and sister, who were waiting for them.

"Yous got the ticket daddy?" Cassiopia questioned.

"Yes, we do. Now lets catch the train."

Her mother ushered them down to the train platforms, glancing every which way for any other wizarding people.

They passed through the brick wall, following another family and entered a platform filled with steam. A worker took her luggage and left her only with a bag of carry on, and Thaya.

"Alright, honey, this is it. We have to go now, so we'll send letters, um, owls to you all years. We love you." Her mother squeezed her and kissed her forehead. Part of Lysandra wanted to push he away from embarrassment, but she knew this would be the last time she would see her for a year. Her father did the same. Lysandra turned to Cassie.

"You saids you'd play tea party with me 'dis stummer. You didn't. Liar." Her mouth went into a stubborn pout and she turned away from Lysandra. Lysandra's light green eyes felt tears coming, she didn't want her sister to actually be mad at her before she left.

"I'll play with you next time I'm home, Okay?"

Cassiopia shook her head hard, her braids flying.

Lysandra thought,"How about this. I'll send you something I made with magic during the year, like a charmed doll, and then I'll play with you when I get home." Lysandra bent over to see face to face with her sibling.

"I guess," Cassiopia eyes glistened. She hugged her sister and stood up, feeling light and free.

"I love you, and I'll send you lots of letters." Lysandra picked up Thaya's and her cage and jogged off through the steamy air, and clammered onto the single scarlet red steam engine, at platform 9 3/4.


	6. Cue Jealousy

The corridors of the train were flooded with students. The train had started to move and Lysandra hadn't found a single empty compartment. People were chattering through every door, the sound blocking the engine roar from her ears. She travelled farther along the train car until she found the people and noise thinning. She looked through every compartment, but all contained groups or hoardes of people, except for one with a young girl floating her quill through the air.

"Wingardium Leviosa, am I right?" Lysandra piped. She felt awkward standing in the doorway, Thaya starting to become jittery.

"What's it to you?" Her black hair waved down her back and made Lysandra's hair look brown in comparison.

"I've just, I've been looking at some of the spells..."

"Well, can you do any?" She released the spell on the feather, "Incendio," and it burst into flames.

The feather, or what was left, drifted meakly to the floor, the embers still dull red.

"Your really good, I've been reading it takes a lot of concentration," Lysandra stuttered, her head directed at her feet.

The girl lifted her head and stood up strait, her robes already on and straightened, her hair brushed and eyes fierce. "It does take concentration, and unlike some others, I want to be the best. So, unless you have something useful to say or your blood is as pure as mine, get out!" She stepped forward and Lysandra backed up just as the door slammed, the air pushed out with force. Both curtains were pulled and Lysandra was left alone in the hall.

Her breath seemed shaky to her and her heart didn't want to calm down. The corridor seemed empty, most doors were shutting and muffled laughs filled the air. She stood straighter, aware of where she was, and started slowly back down the path for missed doors or empty spaces hoping that the other student wouldn't all be like her.

* * *

She passed down the length of the train three times and knew there was not one empty compartment. Some were filled with groups and some with just two people but she felt as if she shouldn't intrude. She was about to enter another train car when a door behind her slid open.

"Hello," a female voice said. Lysandra jumped around to see a brown haired girl facing eye to eye with her.

"Do you need a place to sit, it's just me and Severus in here." Lysandra nodded and the girl lightly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the compartment. The boy seated inside was also in his robes, though they looked worn or dim, almost falling off his frame. His hair was a slick black, the greasy strands seperated from each other and clung to his head.

"I'm Lily Evans, and this is Severus Snape, this is our first year," she gestured to the boy and he nodded towards Lysandra, obviously dissapointed in the intruder.

"I'm Lysandra, umm, Phyllips, first year." Her brain stopped malfunctioning for a second at the welcoming smile Lily gave her. She slipped into the space closest to the door beside Lily and placed the cage at her feet. Lily's smiled beamed, eyes glistened a brilliant green and warmed the space. Lysandra took comfort and waited for something to happen, hoping she wouldn't have to start conversation.

"So, are you excited for classes. I can't wait to send an owl back to my parents." Lily seemed to enjoy the company though Severus said nothing. She talked for most of the trip, Lysandra just sat back and listened. The mood seemed to brighten when Lily started to talk about her and Severus's friendship but it returned to tention when someone interupted.

A girl, much older than them, knocked on their compartment door, her redish hair falling on her robes.

"Sorry to intrude but you should change into your robes, we will be arriving soon." She smiled and walked down to the next door, a small pin on her robes caught a ray of light and glimmered.

Severus mummbled something before standing and walking out of the compartment.

"We really should change," Lily smiled.

"Where did he go off to?"

Lily shrugged, "I don't really know. That's the thing about Severus, you just don't know what he is thinking.

* * *

The sky was blackening when the train stopped, and was midnight blue when the first years were led to the boats. Lysandra was shocked by how many students their were, but the man, if that's what he was, leading them was purely mythical. His head must've been the size of her body, covered by a messy mat of beard and hair. The small student heads bobbed along until they were shuffled in the boats, tugged along as if there were invisble ropes pulling them across the murky lake.

The two boys in her boat gasped when they passed a crop of trees, revealing a magnificently lit castle, stone pillars holding it to the sky like a monument. Stair cases led up to archways and towers were voids in the stars.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" one boy spoke, "The castle seems bigger on the inside and it changes all the time, or that's what my brother says."

The others just watched the boats creep closer to it, speaking nothing in return.

The first years unloaded the boats and were led inside by a decrepid old man with his cat tailing along side. The archway was lined with cases and through a set of doors was a stairway leading up to a landing. The students shoved or slowed, unsure of the walls and torches that lined them. A woman Lysandra recognised as Proffessor McGonagall glided out from a set of small doors off to one side and cleared her voice.

"Good Evening and welcome to Hogwarts. You are about to enter the Great Hall to sit with your peers and classmates, but before you do, you are to be sorted in to houses. These houses are your family, you will eat with them and take classes with them, share triumphs and losses. The houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor, named after the founders of Hogwarts. So, if you please, a single file line, and follow me." She whirled around and strode towards the towering set of double doors infront of her with only a flick of her wand to open them.

* * *

Light spilled over the landing and the students, candles hung from the shimmering ceiling and made the light dance across the hall. Four long tables were occupied by students dressed in black, with a fifth table at the front. The colour contrast was brilliant from black robes, to golden yellow walls, to a blue sky hanging where the ceiling should be. The first years eyes darted around the brilliant wonders, taking in faces and textures, the whole situation they were in.

Professor McGonagall briskly walked through it all, and headed directly for the front table. Before it stood a wobbly looking three legged stool with a musty patched hat upon it. The folds and creases in the hat made it look very old but they almost resembled a face on the cloth. The Professor stopped them at a small set of steps and walked up beside the hat. The cloth seemed to shudder then stretch until the folds in the canvas were moving, and from a large tear came a voice.

_Now listen to the words I bring_

_brought from long ago. _

_The orgin of these many walls_

_and the following tale of woe._

_The founders four said "Teach we must, _

_our magical kin should know!"_

_A school they built of stone and spells _

_and houses four they chose._

_The brave and charming of Gryffidor _

_were taught by he himself._

_Pure and proud of Slytherin_

_were all of friends and wealth._

_Apt and witty Ravenclaw_

_taught her own of gift and skill._

_The rest were taken by Hufflepuff_

_who strived and learned good will._

_Years went on and life was lived,_

_Slytherin fell to pass._

_Before the death, the founders four_

_wrote their choice to last._

_Here I am the decision made, _

_for I to choose and sort._

_Alas there's nothing I can't see, _

_your true self is my retort._

Clapping echoed in the Great Hall as the hat's brim finally rested. Professor McGonagall held her hands high and directed the first years. She called the name of the first student and a blonde girl nervously stepped up the steps.

The hat appeared to twist and think until it shouted "Slytherin!" A table in the hall ruptered in the hall as the girl happily hopped off the stool and walked to her new house table. Lysandra begged that she would end up with a nice house, like Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. She closed her eyes and thought hard about what house it would put her in. She was surprised when a boy behind her whispered in her ear for her to go.

She stepped up the stairs as the woman smiled down at her. Upon the seat, the Professor placed the hat on her head and she felt it's old voice inside her head.

"Hmm, Gryffindor or Hufflepuff? But your a smart one you know. Ignored, I know how that feels. Let see... Ravenclaw!"

Lysandra was torn on whether to feel happy or dissapointed about that decision, but she smiled . She almost ran to her house table and sat down with seismic relief. The older students clapped and patted her on her shoulder, but she felt sad when she saw Lily chatting with a black haired boy at a table across the hall. His smile beamed and his hair stuck in every direction, his chatter made Lily smile cautiously back.

Lysandra felt it like a bullet, the sorting hat roared it's judgement out, "Slytherin!" and she turned to see Severus Snape with a horrified look on his face. He looked like he would shred the hat to oblivion at any second but he hopped of the stool and slunk to his table. His glare at the black haired boy was phenominal, his hands clasped under his chin and eyes directed like knives to a target. A premonition struck Lysandra, that Severus Snape was going to make this year very interesting.


End file.
